Thus begins my series on the practice of realtime - bringing the verbatim record into the forefront of the discussion.
This topic, I believe, is the one that can distinguish us from other modalities of taking the record and the verbatim notes of a meeting.
We are a technology-driven profession and it behooves us to stay as current with technology as we can. You may not be ready to jump in the deep end right now, but even starting to learn about the topic in general and maybe wading into the waters will help you as we move forward.
We live in an instant-gratification society and to be able to provide that instant gratification is a skill set that not everyone has achieved (yet). But by chasing that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you not only make yourself more efficient and more marketable, you might actually make yourself more money as well.
As we embark upon this journey, please understand I'm not trying to undermine anyone or denigrate where you are on your journey; instead, my aim is to gently suggest that we can all "up our game" a level or two to ensure that the profession maintains its stature as the gold standard for moving the spoken word to written form - whether on a screen or on a page.
You all know I love giving back... and I've been speaking at the local law school for many years now, sharing with the students who will be future litigators how they can work WITH court reporters to create a truly excellent record.
I love doing this - and if you have the chance, please consider doing it in your area. The "baby" lawyers appreciated it and the next generation of court reporters will too!
We all love rituals - girls nights, massages, regular workouts... but what about our working rituals?
Do you have any that ease you into your productivity? Perhaps alleviate any anxiety?
Our job as a stenographer (or captioners) is filled with stressors and if we can develop rituals for ourselves to help limit those stresses, think how healthy, happy, and productive we can become?!
I love this profession... and I love sharing it. Wherever you are, in whatever period in your career you find yourself, be an amazing advocate! Introduce people to this incredible opportunity for someone who loves English, the law, computers, learning... Be the little pebble that creates the ripple in the pond!
